The Millennium Doctor Speaks:

"Taking the pulse of 2000 A.D."

I just returned this week from a trip to Israel and Italy which studied
the tourism capacity of these two countries for 2000. In Jerusalem, Bethlehem,
Nazareth and Rome, people are thinking more about infrastructure now than
millennial events. Of all these, Bethlehem's need for civic improvements
was the most critical. If there is demand, I'll put up on the Talk 2000
Web the "Bethlehem 2000" feasibility study by Germans. In this
bi-weekly issue of "Let's Talk 2000," I have highlighted efforts
by various governmental and religious groups to prepare for the advent of
the third millennium. Although my recent travels didn't take me down under,
note the new web site for Sydney 2000 Olympics. They are going like gang-busters
there. For those joining us as new subscribers, keep in mind besides this
e-pub, there is also a daily discussion forum, "Talk 2000." Rather
than just two pages every two weeks, you can interact every day with a global
town meeting on the turn of the millennium. For more information on how
to subscribe, write talk2000@rmii.com, and ask for "Talk 2000 Invitation."

News from the Field:

"Here is the latest news on year 2000 efforts"

HABITAT II PREPARES AGENDA 2000
New York, February 13 (UNDP) In calling for "adequate shelter for all"
and "sustainable human settlements in an urbanizing world," the
Habitat II preparatory committee finalized a draft global plan of action
to submit to the UN Congress on Human Settlements this June 3 to 14 in Istanbul.
The Congress will invite participating States to make statements of commitments
they will take by the year 2000 to help some one billion persons plagued
with inadequate housing, water and urban traffic. The draft statement of
goals and principles finalized this week lists nine key points relating
to equality, poverty eradication, sustainable development, livability, family,
civic and governmental responsibility, partnerships, solidarity, and international
coordination. Source: http://www.undp.org/un/habitat

KOREAN PILGRIMS CELEBRATE ISRAEL NOT CHRIST
Jerusalem, February 11 (BP) More than 3,000 Korean Pentecostals came to
the Holy Land last week to "celebrate the 2,000th birthday of Jesus,"
but ended up commemorating Zionism, not Christ. On the first day of their
Congress, Dr. David Yonggi Cho, pastor of Seoul's 100,000 person Yoido Full
Gospel Church, preached on how A.D. 2000 points to Christ's Second Coming,
while Jan Willem of the fundamentalist Christian Embassy in Jerusalem lectured
on why the Jews return to the "promised land" fulfilled prophesy.
Noticibly absent on the platform or as participants were Palestinian Christians.
In response to fringe groups like this coming to Jerusalem, Hani Abu Deyyah,
the owner of the largest Palestinian Tour Agency in East Jerusalem, said,
"The year 2000 is to big to be monopolized. It will attract so much
attention, the best we can do here is direct the official functions."
Abu Deyyah is part of efforts by the churches in the Holy Land to form an
official Commission on 2000 which would give an authentic voice to the 2,000th
anniversary celebrations. Two weeks before this Korean "Jerusalem Celebration
2000," Jerusalem church leaders issued a statement questioning any
promise land ideology "which subverts the dignity of [Christian and
Muslim] people under the pretext of an alleged divine mandate." Source:
begin@rmii.com

Talk from the Forum:

"Here is a recap of recent conversations"

A NEW MESSIANIC WORLD?
On February 1st, America's premier Millennium Watcher, Ted
Daniels put the Talk 2000 Forum on notice that the New York Times carried
a full-page ad in which the followers of the late Hassidic Rabbi M.M. Schneersohn
claimed he was the Messiah, King of the World for ever. This launched a
fasinating discussion on messianic claims and social transformation. For
starters, Penelope Boston of Boulder
confessed she had a "son of vitch," er she meant, a Lubavitcher
follower as nephew. From her perspective, he is no fun at all. She wouldn't
trust her Nephew Larry to pick out her socks, let alone a messiah. She will
cast her Messianic vote for the man or woman who actually gets us to Jupiter
someday. Alan Davidson noted that
only some 1/5 of Lubavitchers approve of these claims, and most of Lubavitch's
rabbinic leadership publicly denounce these corronations. Finally, Arthur
Waskow mentioned the assertion that "the late Rebbe is moshiach
(messiah)" is mere cultural envy of a society where the dominant religion
has a messiah already arrived. For 2,000 years, Waskow notes Jews have viewed
with sardonic irony, not envy, the claim that Messiah has already arrived.
"'Look around!' we have said. 'Are the swords beaten into plowshares?'"
Waskow thinks the Lubavitch claim will fail. "A messianic claim that
does not empower women, affirm kinship with the Palestinians, or make central
the healing of the earth, cannot, in my estimation, meet God's demand for
a Jewish response to the world we are in. These are not merely socio-political
but theological questions." In the context of world upheaval, Waskow
notes that Judaism has four options: 1) to turn to an imminent expectation
or discovery of the messiah, 2) to assimilate into the materially and militaristic
dominant culture, Hellenism 2,000 years ago, Modernity today 3) to militarily
defeat the modern occupying power (Masada 2,000 years ago, Israeli militarism
today), or 4) to re-make the faith into a holistic Judaism as Rabbinic Judaism
sought some 2,000 years ago. Waskow backs option four, and underscores any
claim to a new Messianic world must begin with a call for human beings to
let God's love and power transform them first.

New Millennial Sites:

"Here are new sites in cyberspace"

SYDNEY 2000 OLYMPICS: "Meet at the Millennial
Games"
Created in association with IBM, Sydney has a great web site up on the Olympic
games in 2000. They expects to sell more than five million tickets for those
September 2000 two weeks in one of the most technically excellent and culturally
enhancing sports events of the modern era. http://www.sydney.olympic.org/

MILLENNIUM PUBLICATIONS: "A small press
on 'fin de siecle' trends"
Millennium Publications' first two books are both by author, John J. Reilly.
The first, Spengler's Future, deals with the world history theory
propounded by the early 20th century philosopher, Oswald Spengler, of repeating
historical cycles.http://www.entrepreneurs.net/milgroup/spnglr2.htm

MILLENNIUM INSTITUTE: "A Sustainable
Future for the Earth"
Can the year 2000 become the turning point for a sustainable future for
the earth? A Millennium Alliance is being created to make it so. Check out
the Institute's new site and "thinkpapers" by Hillel Schwartz.http://www.igc.apc.org/millennium/papers/ma_hs.html